Portable recording



United States Patent [72) Inventors George A.Ruger References Cited s m"m T m m N. n u E m w T n n A N m P ".l n "n S a n u E mflnnm T m mm m A"M T m wn m m .m.m n w LMHHG 7 223 N06666 99999 lllll ////l 3678- 25078948 2 .3 78404 48459 .9 2333 o o b m t A n r 0 N mm o H 7 .9 99 lw l M2 Mm Hv 4 0 RIM- NN 0. d N m .L n mm fla AFD- .11] 25 224 [ll [73]Assignee Ilerley-Splrlhg Meter Company Dedllllll, Massachusetts PrimaryExaminer-William S. Lawson a corporation of MlssachussettsAttorney-William W. Rymer, Jr.

Gm mm mm @N m R3 1 .5 mm mm 01 P] H U [52] US. 234/94, ABSTRACT: Aportable data recorder has punches movable between retracted andrecording positions. Slides stacked along the direction of movement ofthe punches are movable 606k 13/08 transversly to the punches to controltheir movement. The. 234/69, 75, slides have openings arranged so thatwhen the openings in all slides in a stack are aligned a punch can passthrough a stack to its recording position.

[51] Int.

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71,84 -88,liIEZEitliiititix,102,105,109,

Patented Nov. 3, 1970 sum 2 o: s

Patented Nov. 3, 1970 Shoot of 6 7 AIBO H-sn FIG ll FIG IO FIG 9Patented Nov. 3, 1970 Shoot 2' of 6 OOODOOOOO vol M W3 Em: mmm

. -i romance nsconnnvc This invention relates toportable data recordingapparatus of the type in whicha plurality of slides are positioned inaccordance with the input data and in turn control the recordingelements.

Objects of the invention are to providc such apparatus that slideshaving openings arranged so that when the openings in all slides in astack'are aligned a recording element can pass through the stack to itsrecording position, therecording elements contacting a slide only whennonalignment ofopenings prevents passage of'the element to its recordingposition; and in another aspect slides controlling the movement ofrecording elements wherein a power solenoid moves the slides againstspring biasing and additional solenoids operatively control memberswhich move in and out of the paths ofmove ment of slides, to determineslidcpositions; In preferred cmhoiliments the additional solenoids aresmaller thnnthc powcl' solenoid and the opcrativcly controlled memberscorrespond to and interact with tabs on the slides (the members being attimes in the paths of the tabs, at times out ofcontact with the tabs,and at times held out of the tab paths by the tabs them selves); eachslideopeningis larger than the cross section of any recording elementassociated therewith for passage therethrough to the rccording positionand a portion of each recording element when, in its retracted :positionextends through an opening in at least one slide-without contacting thei slide; the actuator forthe recording elements is motor driven andincludes a pressure pad withya member mounted thereon having obliquesurfaces a nd a r'oller driven by'the'motor along the oblique surfacesto in turn drivethe pressure pad; and a reading of a meter not capableof automatic readout through the probe. Punch module26, shown in detailin FIGS. 2-11, is mounted inside the housing.

Module 26 has punches 30 (FIG. 4) for punching a card to record themeter reading,ldccoding slides 32 and decoding solenoids 34 forcontrolling the punches in accordance with the meter reading, and amotor and cam operated pressure pad .36 for forceablymoving the punchesthrough their punching stroke.

Slides.32 are arrangedin four stacks of four slides each, with two lowerstackssideby-side in grooves 42 and 44 of punch block 46, and twoupperstacks side-by-side in grooves 48 and 50 of guide SZFOIII' prongs56, carried by reset finger connected to the core 62 of reset solenoid64, fit through openings 58 at the left ends (as seen in FIG. 4) of theslides in the four stacks, respectively. Openings 58 are larger than thethickness of aprong56, to allow slides 32 to move longitudinallyrelative to reset finger 60, as explained below.

Slides 32 areconnected'at'their right ends to return springs attachedtobracket 71. Each slide has a laterally extending tab 72 near its rightend, the tabs 72 on the respective slides being staggered as shown inFIG. 4. The slides have punch openings 74 spaced along, their centralportions, through which punches 30 pass. Openings74 are larger than thecross section of a punch, so that the punches never touch the slides solong as the openings are properly aligned Similar openings 47 arelocated in block 46. Trapper plate is positioned above guide 52, andhns'opcnings 82 for the punches.

Die plate )2. having individual openings 91 for the punches, andbuseplatc 94, are positioned below block 46 to receive .thc'punch headsthat punch through the card.

Anvil 94,plates 92 and 80, guide 52, and block 46 are held together'bybolts 93, 95 in a subassembly that is stationary throughout'theoperation of the module. i

Above plate 80 are located a pair of generally similar plates:

punch retaining plate 96'with punch openings 98, and

lockplate 100 with punch openings 102, the latter being free cardhandling assembly is provided includinga' base, at least one rollermounted adjacent the base to contact a card (on whichdata is to berecorded) inserted under the roller, a torsion spring rotationallybiasing the roller, and anabutment t against which the card edge isforced by the biased roller after the card has been inserted. 5 g iOther objects, features, and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description of a preferred embodimentthereof, taken together with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofthe apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspectivevicw of a portion of theintcrior ol' theapparatus;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the motor andxassociated electricalcontacts;

FIG. 4 is an explodedvies/otherwise similarto'FIG. 2;

FIG. Sis a fragmentary sectiontaken from the side ofone of the punches;

FIGS. 6-8 are fragmentary sections taken from above a slide, showing theslide-in different positions;

FIGS. 9-11 are fragmentary sections similar to FIG.5'but including thepressure'pad area-showing the punches indifferent positions;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram ofthe electrical circuitry; and

FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram corresponding to FIG. 12.

The complete portable card 'punchunit is shown in FIG. 1 and includeshousing 10 with removable side 12, and a nineteen conductor cable'16electrically connecting the unit to aprobe (not shown) for insertioniritoameterttobe read. Battery pack 18 is connected to thetunitby cable.20. Printed circuitboards 22 control'the major-functions of-the unit.Dials 24, controlling rotary four'contact binary coded decimal switches,are provided for manually settingon the unit the 'Iongitudinalposition.

and'connected at its left end to solenoid 104 .for control of its Punchspring cagefllt) has-"punch openings 11! similar to -openings 98-and102, and is bolted to plate 96 from above by bolts 112. Pin plate 114and pressure pad 36 are bolted to 36, plate 1l4,'and plates 9 6 and 100are thus slidable as a unit on pins 130, toward (against springs I36)and away from block'46,

Cum is mounted rigidly on top ol" pressure pad 36, and has a multiplepitch-.cam surface including horizontal portion 142., steeply inclinedportion 144, and less steeply inclined portion 146.

Above cam "140 drawbar is mounted for horizontalsliding movement on pins152extcnding through support bracket 154. Movement of .drawbar 150 iscontrolled by levers 156 each row positioned'with the punches passingthrough one aligned set of openings l, 102, 98, 82, 54, 74, and 47. Eachpunch (FIGS. 5, 9--11) has a punch head 180, an intermediatereduccdwidth neck 182 with curved sides I84, 186.

an upwardly directed'shoulder 190, and a tab 192 providing 204. Neck 182is located in openings 74 in slides 32 when pressure pad 36 is in itsuppermost position (FIG. 9).

Sixteen decoding solenoids 34 are mounted in four groups of four aboveand below and at each side of slides 32 (one upper and one tower groupare shown in FIG. 4, and two upper groups are shown in FIG. 2). Thecores 35 of those solenoids are respectively adjacent the 16 staggeredtabs 72. The solenoids are wired to printed circuit boards 210, 212.

The size ofopenings 58 the travel of finger 60, and the positioning ofsolenoids 3.4 and flanges 72 are such that when finger fit! is fullyretracted upon actuation of reset solenoid 64. (all thrway to the leftin FIG. 5). tabs 72 wlll be spaced out of contact with solenoid cores 35FIG. 6). When finger MI is not retracted (FIGS. '7, 8), flanges 72 willeither be biased by springs 70 into contact withthe side of theirrespective solenoid cores 35 (FIG. 7), or, if core 35 has been retractedby actuations of its solenoid, aligned with the tip of core 35 (FIG.

Shaft 164 carries a brush 220 (FIGS. 24) having fingers 220ac (FIG. 3)arranged to move against brush plate 222 which has electrical contactstrips 228,230, 232, and 234.

Card handling assembly 240 is mounted in housing 10 and includes (FIG.2) base plate 250, card spacers 252, 254, upper guides 256, 258, andrubber rollers 260 and 261 mounted respectively on shafts 262 and 263supported in bracket 264. Torsion springs 266 (only one shown in FIG. 2)are connected between the shafts and brackets 264 to bias the, rollersin an at rest position. Arms 270, 272 with raised ends 274, 276 extendfrom one side of base plate through a slot in housing 10. Base plate2511 supports mc'talrollers 280, 281 beneath and in light contact withrubber rollers 260 and 261. Card receiving mouth 282 (FIG. 2) issupported on module 26 adjacent assembly 2411 and opening-into the spacebetween block 46 and die plate 92. Guide 283 (FIG. 1) is provided toprotect arms 2711, 272 and to provide for easy alignment of the card tobe punched,

A single additional punch 290 is located to the right oithe 40 punches311 (FIG. 4). A separateslide 294 and solenoid 292 are provided forcontrolof thispunch. Whenever the meter is read through the probe punch290 is allowed to punch the card, providing an indication that a probereading was taken.

Extra space in the module (c.g., additional openings 32 not used in thepresent embodiment, and space for additional solenoids such as 34a) isprovided for recording ofdata with more than digits 09.

In operation, a card is inserted into assembly 240 between plate 250 andguides 2 56, 258. The card passes into the nips between rollers 2611,261 and rollers 280, 281 respectively and rotates the former against theforce of springs 266. When the card is fully inserted, it is releasedand rollers 260, 261 force it back until the rear edge of the card isagainst ends 274, 276, thus accurately positioning the card beneath thepunches. Spacers 252, 254 position the card laterally.

The probe is then inserted into the readout apparatus of the meter to beread (or else dials 24 are set manually and button 25 is pressed). Fourof the l6 decoding solenoids 34 are actuated, so that their cores liftout of the way of the tabs 72 of the four slides 32 respectivelycontrolled by the actuated solenoids Reset solenoid 64 is also actuatedat this time, retracting all the slides 32140 that the'ir'mbs 72nre outoi'contaet with the cores of solenoids .14. Solenoid (i acts slightlybefore the four actuated solenoids 34, so that the four cores will notrub I After 50 milliseconds all power to the solenoidsis cut off.

Reset solenoid 64 returns more quickly than solenoids 34-, and releasesthe slides 32, 36 of which move forward until their tabs hit theunretracted solenoid cores. and four of which continue to moveforwarduntil their tab are aligned below or above the cores of the fouractuated solenoids 34. These four cores then drop into contact with therespective slide tabs.

The punching cycle is now ready tt begin, and motor 167 starts to mo e,retracting'drawbar to move roller 172 successively along cam surfaceportions 14-2, 144, and 146. At the same time, commutator brush 220moves over brush plate 222. During the 360? gclc of brush 2211 itsfinger 220a remains at all times in contact with ground contact strip228. Finger 221)]: remains in contact with s rip 230 except at gap 231where it is located at the start of he cycle. Finger 220K starts thecycle between strips 232 and 2.34 and contacts them successively in thatorder. The effect o fingers 22th" or 22thcontactiug strips 230, 2.12, or2.14 is simply to connect those strips to ground, since all threefingers are part of a single piece of metal.

When roller 172 is on surface 142 (FIG. 9), punches 30 are biased bysprings 200 so that shoulders 194 of punch tabs 192 are against plate96. As roller 172 moves up surface 144, pressure pad 36, plates 1.14,100, and 96, cage 110, and the punches move as a unit toward the lowerpart of module 26, until 36 of the punches (typified by the left-handpunch in FIGS. 9-1l) contact a slide at the upper portion of neck 182.Four of the punches, typified by the rig.t-hand punch in FIGS. 911, willnot contact any slide; the: are the punches that will punch through thecard. The othc 36 punches stop their downward movement and cage 110 mves downward relative to these punches, compressing their s rings 200,so that their punch tabs 192 move above plate 100. As soon as these 36punch tabs 192 clear plate 101), solenoid 19-4 is actuated (by contactof brush finger 2200 with contact strip 232) and draws plate 100 to theleft (FIG. 11), locking the tabs 192 olthc four punching punches belowplate Hit), and locking the other 36 tabs 192 above plate 100. Roller172 now moves to surface 146, the downward movement of the upper part ofmodule 26 continues, and plate 100 forces the heads of the four selectedpunches through the card.

try this time motor I67 has moved through halla revolution, and thedirection oi'drawlmr I50 and roller 172 reverses.

lirush finger 220C moves out oi' contact with strip 232, deactuatingsolenoid 104m return plate 100 to the right. Springs 136 return theupper portion of the module to its original position, and the punchesreturn to the position of FIG. 9. Brush finger 220C then contacts strip234 and the motor is stopped. The card is removed by simply lifting itsfront edge above ends 274, 276, so that rollers 2611, 261 will eject it,completing the cycle. 7

By virtue of the arrangement of slides and punches operating friction isminimized (since the punches do not rub against the slides) and powerrequirements lessened. Efficient use of power and hardware is madepossible by using the small individual solenoids 34 only to decode thedata, all power for moving the slides coming from large solenoid 64 andsprings 70.

The electronic circuitry employed is shown in the block diagram of FIG.12 and the circuit diagram of FIG. 13. Insertion of the probe. (ordepression of button 25) closes switch 2% (or switch 298) to actuateswitch sensing circuitry 300 which in turn triggers through line 301 aSO-millisccond-monostable multivibrator 304. The 50 millisecond squarepulse generated by multivibrator 304 is carried through line 30% to thebases of transistors 311? and .110 in power amplifier Add for actuationoi solenoid at, through line .197 to motor control t'liptlop 312, andthrough line 311 to steering gate 324 which controls power amplifiers316, 32tilor actuation of the selected solenoids 34.

Flip-flop 312 goes into its set position at the end of the 50-millisecond pulse and starts the motor 167 through amplifier 332. Brushfinger 220/; contacts strip 230 to ground the collectors of transistors302 and 303 in generator 304, disabling the generator circuitry fromfiring again until the motor stops. When brush finger 2211c groundsstrip 232 amplifier 3411 is actuated, and in turn actuates solenoid 104.F lip-flop 312 is reset when brush finger 220c contacts strip 234,stopping the motor 167.

When switch 296 is closed upon insertion of the probe, the emitter oftransistor 325 of gate 324 is grounded through line 326, actuating poweramplifier 320 through line 321. Power is transmitted from amplifier 320through cable line 16x to the probe and to the meter data source on thehouse (a suitable BCD data source is described in U.S. Pat. No.3,369,746). Sixteen data lines 16a-p in cable 16 carry the data to 16identical corresponding amplifiers 328a--p (only two shown in FIGS. 12,13) which in turn control the 16 solenoids 34a-34p The two remaininglines in cable 16 connect the circuitry to switch 296 located in theprobe. When the probe common is activated, amplifier 328: is activatedthrough line 16q to actuate solenoid 292.

Similarly, when switch 298 is closed to indicate a manual readout, theemitter of transistor 327 is grounded through line 328, actuatingamplifier 316. Power is transmitted to manual switches 24 through line25x Sixteen lines 25a--p carry the encoded data to amplifiers 328a'-p.

Amplifiers 328a-p are mounted on boards 210, 212. Power is supplied bybattery pack 18 to the circuit points marked B+ inFlG. 13. Voltageregulating circuitry 342 supplies regulated B+ current to switch sensingcircuitry 300 and multivibrator 304.

The circuit elements corresponding to the block diagram of FIG. 12 areshown in FIG. 13, with dashed lines setting off the groups ofelementsthat form the various blocks of FIG. 12. All diodes shown are TS-05. AllNPN transistors are 2N3414 and all PNP transistors are 2N3702, except asotherwise indicated in FIG. 13. Standard notation is used in FIG. 13 forthe identity and values of the various circuit elements.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for recording data, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of recording elements mounted in said frame for movementparallel to a first axis between retracted positions and recordingpositions;

a plurality of slides mounted insaid frame for movement parallel to asecond axis generally transverse to said first axis;

said slides being arranged in a plurality of stacks extending along saidfirst axis;

said slides having openings therein arranged so that in certainpositions of said slides some of said openings are aligned with a saidrecording element to permit its passage through a said stack of slidesto its said recording position and others of said openings arenonaligned to prevent passage of at least a portion of another saidrecording elements through said stack, said recording elementscontacting said slides only when said nonaligned openings prevent saidpassage, each said opening being larger than the cross section of anysaid recording element associated therewith for passage therethrough,and a portion of each said recording element when in said retractedposition extending through at least an opening in one slide withoutcontacting said slide; and

actuators for said slides and said recording elements.

2. Apparatus for recording data, comprising:

a frame; 6

a plurality of recording elements mounted in said frame for movementparallel to a first axis between retracted positions and recordingpositions;

a plurality of spring biased slides mounted in said frame for movementparallel to a second axis to selectively control the movement of saidrecording elements in accordance with said data;

at least one power solenoid mounted to move said slides against saidspring biasing parallel to said second axis;

additional solenoids mounted to control the positions of said slides inaccordance with said data;

members each having a first position in the path of said movement of asaid slide parallel to said second axis and a second position out ofsaid path, said additional solenoids being in respective operativecontrol of said members; and

an actuator for said recording elements.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first and secondpositions of each said member are spaced parallel to said first axis. 1

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said each slide has a tabextending generally transverse to said second axis, a said member isprovided corresponding to each said tab, and each said member when inits first position is in the path of movement of said tab parallel tosaid second axis.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further comprising electricalcircuitry including said power solenoid and said additional solenoids,said circuitrybeing arranged so that in a first condition of saidapparatus said power solenoid and selected ones of. said additionalsolenoids are actuated, said members corresponding to said actuatedadditional solenoids being respectively out of said paths of saidcorresponding tabs, said members corresponding to the nonactuatedadditional solenoids being respectively in' said paths of saidcorresponding tabs, and in a second condition of said apparatus all saidsolenoids are deactuated and said tabs corresponding to said originallyactuated additional solenoids are adjacent said members operativelycontrolled by said last mentioned solenoids thereby preventingsaidmembers from reaching their said first positions.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said power solenoid islarger than each of said additional solenoids.

7. Apparatus for recording data, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of recording elements mounted in said frame for movementparallel to a first axis between retracted positions and recordingpositions;

a plurality of slides mounted in said frame for movement parallel to asecond axis generally transverse to said first axis;

said slides being arranged in at least one stack extending along saidfirst axis;

said slides having openings therein arranged so that in cer tainpositions of 'said slides some of said openings are aligned with a saidrecording element to permit its passage through said stack of slides toits said recording position and others of said openings are nonalignedto prevent passage of at least a portion of another said recordingelement through said stack, said recording elements contacting saidslides only when said nonaligned openings prevent said passage; andactuators for said slides and said recording elements; and

said slides being spring biased in one direction of said second axis,

at least one power solenoidlbeing provided to move said slides in theother direction of said axis,

additional solenoids being provided to control the positions of saidslides in accordance with said data, said additional solenoids being inrespective operative control over members each having a first positionin the path of movement of a slide parallel to said second axis and asecond position out of said path.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein a single power solenoid ismounted to control all of said slides.

9. Apparatus for recording data comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of recording elements mounted in said frame for movementparallel to a first axis between retracted positions and recordingpositions;

a plurality of slides mounted in said frame for movement parallel to asecond axis to selectively control the movement of said recordingelements in accordance with said data; 1

a pressure pad for driving said recording elements to their recordingpositions;

a member having oblique surface portions mounted on said pressure pad;and

at least one roller driven by a motor along said oblique surfaceportions to drive said pressure pad.

10. Apparatus for recording data, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of recording elements mounted in said frame for movementparallel to a first axis between retracted positions and recordingpositions;

a plurality of slides mounted in said frame for movement parallel to asecond axis to selectively control the movement of said recordingelements in accordance with said data;

actuators for said slides and said recording elements; and

a card handling assembly for receiving a card upon which said data is tobe recorded, comprising:

abase, at least one roller mounted for rotation adjacent said base,

a spring operatively biasing said roller about its rotational

